Thursday, May 15, 2014

Chocolate Sponge Cake

This is the 1st recipe that got me so persistent to get it right, I failed 3 times and never come across my mind to give it up. When I left a message at Sonia's blog to tell her my failure, so nice of her to ask me to email her so that she can help. She spotted that I actually mixed the chocolate milk and egg yolks into the same pot that used to melt butter. It should be melted the butter in a pot, mix in the flour in the same pot, then transfer the batter into another bowl to mix with milk and yolks.

No wonder my batter always like soft cookie dough even after add in the egg yolks instead of runny like Sonia mentioned. I think that is one of the reason that I failed the cake, the batter is too thick so is quite tough to mix well with the egg white meringue, thus the chances of deflating the cake increase.

Another reason is my oven temperature. After using the oven thermometer, I then realised that my oven is too hot, heat is unstable too. I have to stand beside the oven to monitor closely on the temperature and the cake, keep adjusting the temperature, the top and bottom heat element to make sure to get the right temperature.

Well, practise makes perfect. Although my cake is still not perfect yet, so much wrinkles, but I am happy with the result, at least no crack on the cake, no sink in at middle of the cake cake, no waistline at the cake :D.

I changed the original flavor of the cake to chocolate simply because my fridge only left with chocolate milk, and I cannot wait to get another bottle of milk to try out the recipe again.

BTW I used "bare hand" method to remove the cake, the side of the cake looks so much neater and nicer using this method.

* the estimate weight of the 3 eggs used by Sonia is 66-68g with shell, 56-57g without shell. The eggs that my mil bought were small so I used 4 eggs but if the total eggs weighed is much more than what Sonia's used, I will change to 7" cake pan base on my experienced.

Method

1. Prepare a cake pan, don’t need to grease or line paper.2. Separate egg white and egg yolk into
two mixing bowls. 3. Melt butter in a saucepan, once you see small bubbles, remove from heat.
4. Immediately add in sifted flour and cocoa powder, quickly stir to become batter. (the batter is like chocolate paste, or Nutella)5. Pour the milk into a empty mixing bowl, scape in the butter + flour batter and mix well with the chocolate milk. (like mayonnaise)6. Add in egg yolk one at a time, stir well on each addition. The batter is
slightly runny if compare to normal chiffon batter. (I added in all egg yolks at once, the batter is runny)
7. Mix sugar and corn starch together. Beat egg whites till foamy, gradually
add in sugar and corn starch mixture (three times) and continue beat until
approaching stiff peaks (meringue stand straight up with a little curve at the
tip) or till stiff peaks (this stage is a bit difficult to fold with egg yolk
mixture)
8. Take 1/3 of meringue and use a hand whisk to mix well with egg yolk batter.
8. Fold in 1/3 of meringue and use a silicone spatula, gently fold with egg
yolk batter till slightly combined. Fold in the balance meringue and gently
fold till well combined.
9. Pour into cake tin, bake at pre-heated oven at 140C (no fan) for 25mins at
low rack, then increase to 170C (no fan) for another 25mins. (each oven temperature is vary, for mine, I need to use 120C for about 25 mins and 150C for about 25 mins)
10. Once baked, turn your chiffon tin upside down and cool completely before
remove from the tin.

Important tips to get this sponge
cake right:-

1. bake it over low temperature
first then later increase temperature to medium, and always bake it at the
lower rack. So the cake will not shrink at all after it gets cool.

2. Also you need to have stable
meringue which requires you to beat till stiff ..Don't worry stiff meringue
created dry cake texture, because the batter is using 烫面"Tang Mein" method (that means cook the egg yolk
batter first).

Verdict?The cake is moist, light, fluffy and very cottony soft, like what Sonia's daughter said, it tasted like light cheesecake. Even the failure cake tasted delicious, everyone who tasted my 1st 3 cakes, no one believe that I failed the cake, all given compliments. This is definitely the best sponge cake I ate so far, truely a keeper!

I didn't plan to post anything this week as this is a very busy week for me but rushed out this so that can participate in Bake Along event as this is a meaningful period - 3rd year Anniversary, but still cannot make it on time. Well, have to wait till next time then heeheehee...

Jess, I know what it is like to fail a cake and then so geram must try again! Your failed cake still had a good texture and I remember my Japanese Cheesecake that failed all also tasted nice hee..hee..only the shape very funny. So far I dare not try sponge cake yet. Scared failed :(

Hi Jess, thanks for writing this post which explains a lot for me. I have failed 2 times baking the Hot Cross Cake and the Baked Ji Dan Gao [the egg yolk batter is thick] which is quite similar to this sponge cake. Mine rose beautifully while baking but shrinks with a waistline. Looks like you failed cakes. I was so disappointed that I daren't try Sonia Golden Sponge Cake.

Hi Jess, I admire your determination, you are just like Jessie :) It is amazing that there is so much to learn in the world of baking...even the sequence or which pot or bowl to use will greatly affects the results, no wonder for those of us who love baking, we just keep baking and baking away ;)

Hello Jess, I am wondering if all your ingredients are in room temp? My milk is always in the fridge, so I wonder if I need to leave my milk in the room temp for a while before I use it to bake this cake. Also, what about the eggs? They are always in my fridge too. Thanks!

Hi Cherish, if I can remember I will take out the milk from the fridge to leave it to room temperature in advance, meaning before I start baking. But most of the time, I will just take out from fridge when preparing the rest of the ingredients. By the time I need to use the milk it should be about room temperature. For eggs, if I remember I will take out from fridge in advance, if not I will submerge in warm water to speed up to room temperature.